Farang like rivers...
60s
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70s (Klong Toey)
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Printable View
Farang like rivers...
60s
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70s (Klong Toey)
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In the northern Laotian lands bordering China, the insurgents of the Taiping Rebellion had taken refuge since the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV).
These Chinese were called ‘Haw’. They became bandits and always invaded and pillaged the villages.
In 1877, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) sent troops from Bangkok to crush the Haw who had ravaged as far as Vientiane. However, they met strong Chinese resistance and had to retreat to Isan.
The war with ‘Haw’, there were 3 of them. The victory finally came in 1887 when new modernized forces were sent again and were divided into two groups approaching the Haw from Chiang Kam and Pichai.
The Haw scattered and some fled to Vietnam. The Siamese armies proceeded to eliminate the remaining Haw. The city of Nong Khai maintains memorials for the Siamese dead.
This computer colored version of a B&W photo shows one of the only 500 medals made to commemorate these events. They were made by Germany’s B.Grimm and Co. of pure silver.
The Preah Vihear (in Thai: Pra Wihan) temple area has been the subject of debate within Cambodia and Thailand since the late 19th century.
The temple complex was built during the 9th and 10th centuries AD under the auspices of the Khmer Empire. As the empire reached its zenith and began a slow decline, the Ayutthaya Kingdom began to grow into the modern state of Thailand. Siam and Vietnam expanded into Cambodian territory in turn during the Ayutthaya, Thonburi, and early Rattanakosin eras.
The Franco-Siamese treaty of 1867 forced Siam to renounce suzerainty over Cambodia, with the exception of Battambang, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, and Oddar Meancheay Provinces which had been officially incorporated into the Kingdom of Siam.
During the 1904 state visit of King Rama V to France, Siam agreed to cede Cambodia’s four provinces to France in exchange for regaining Thai sovereignty over Trat Province and Amphoe Dan Sai of Loai Province, which had been occupied by France.
In 1907, the Thai-Cambodian border was mapped by the French on behalf of a bilateral border commission. According to the 1904 agreement, the border would follow the natural watershed between the countries.
However, the resulting map deviated by showing Preah Vihear Temple as being in Cambodia, even though it is on the Thai side of the watershed.
Thailand accepted the map for official use. The Thais discovered the error when they made their own survey in the 1930s, but the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that they had waited too long to protest so, the temple was lost by "acquiescence".
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After the end of the WW II, with Cambodian Independence and the French withdrawal in 1953, the Thai military occupied Preah Vihear Temple in 1954 in keeping with the border line of the natural watershed. The temple had been built facing north to serve the plains above it, not those of the Cambodian plain far below.
However, based on the 1907 French map, Cambodia protested insisting that it was inside their territory. Both countries finally agreed to submit the dispute to the International Court of Justice and abide by its decision.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded ownership of Preah Vihear Temple to Cambodia by a nine to three vote, stating the 1907 map clearly showed Preah Vihear as being in Cambodia.
Nevertheless, the court had only ruled that the temple belong to Cambodia, and did not comment on the adjacent land to the north. Thailand reluctantly handed over the temple but continues to claim the surrounding area, insisting the border has never officially been demarcated here.
The ownership dispute revived in recent years when Cambodia submitted an application to UNESCO requesting that Preah Vihear be designated as a World Heritage Site. Thailand contended the application requested the designation including the land surrounding the temple, which Thailand still considers its territory.
In the interest of cross-border relations Cambodia withdrew the application, and submitted a modified map requesting the designation only for the temple itself.
On 8 July 2008, the World Heritage Committee decided to add Prasat Preah Vihear, along with 26 other sites, to the World Heritage Site list, despite several protests from Thailand, since the map implied Cambodian ownership of disputed land next to the temple.
The conflict between Cambodia and Thailand has still continued…
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(Access from Thailand officially closed)
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^Nice pictures. Taken by yourself?
This is the part of Klong Toey I remember the best:Quote:
Originally Posted by nathanielnong
https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2021/04/65.jpg
Nope, just borrowed from various sources. Never been there but to Angkor Wat/Angkor Thom.Quote:
Originally Posted by Klondyke
By the way, how is the weather over there? Here, it's half past 10 am. but no sunshine yet, like 6 pm. Rain and rain...
An Inspiration (Credited and Thanks to Khoon Shy Guava)
The Mosquito Bar
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After the change of Thai governments in 1932, the new government had a project to build a modern port to allow large ships to stop for loading cargo. The selected area was Khlong Toei Sub district. The project had started since 1938 but was interrupted during the World War II. It was finally completed in 1947. The delay was due to the huge renovation caused by the war.
When the port was finished, the trades began. Klong Toei area became alive with entertainment venues, nightclubs, bars, restaurants and clubs for the ship crew who kept coming in.
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Among those, one of the most popular bars, so to say, known among farung around the world was the Mosquito Bar on Kasemrad Road, Klong Toei District.
No record says when the exact date that the Mosquito Bar was opened. Everyone noticed it once it just popped up there.
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At daytime, it was an open-air restaurant serving lunch which was crammed with foreign sailors and crew.
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At nighttime, the Venus Room upstairs was a nightclub welcoming everyone Thai or farung who loved to drink and dance. Dance partners, called in Thai as ‘partner’, were available to help keeping the visitors from being alone.
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(Admission fee: 20 baht per head / Proper attire only)
Mosquito Bar had flourished since mid-1960s. When early 1970s came, it also brought American soldiers wearied from the Vietnam War. They furthered increasing the bar's dynamism.
Anyway, nothing stays atop forever, the glory of the Mosquito Bar turned to wilt over time. The Bar finally closed in the late 1980s with the relocation of the country's main port to Laem Chabang Port, Chonburi Province.
Attachment 66728
(80s)
Note: Some photos are courtesy of the Boribana crew (Karsten Petersen, snesejler.dk) of East Asiatic Company Limited, a long-established Danish shipping company which had an office located in Bangkok.
Examples of how our fashion models posted in the 70s
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Our famous sex bombs in the 60s & 70s
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I'm curious to know what inspired the photographer to take these photos. I don't see any significance.
One rainy evening in the 60s...
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After the storm, Bangkok in the 70s was always like this...
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(Ratchaprasong Area)
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Then and now...
1800s
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50s
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60s
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Encore! Encore!
https://teakdoor.com/attachments/the...nguage-006-jpg
:)
Quote:
Originally Posted by happynz
:smileylaughing:
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Bonus!
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The Customs House was built in 1888. It was designed by Joachim Grassi in the Palladian style which is a fine example of the prevalent use of Western architecture in public buildings during Siam's modernization under the reign of King Rama V.
Located on the eastern bank of the Chao Praya River inside Soi Charoen Krung 36, Bang Rak District, this magnificent building was symbolically considered the gateway to the country.
In 1949, the customs office was moved to Klong Toei Port. This building had a new job as the headquarter of the Marine Police Division before being changed to the residence for staff of the Bang Rak Fire Station. Since then, the building has much deteriorated and while multiple plans for its restoration were proposed, none came to fruition.
In 2005, real estate consortium Natural Park won a 30-year concession from the Treasury Department (which administers the building as state property) to renovate the site as an Aman Resorts hotel. However, in the ten years since, no development had taken place, due to difficulties in relocating the previous tenants.
The residents finally moved out in early 2016 and the Treasury Department confirmed in 2017 that the project would go ahead under the U City company as Natural Park was now known following restructuring.
U City, in a joint venture with Aman Resorts and Silverlink Resorts, signed the development contract on 29 May 2019 giving it a thirty-year lease of the property. U City plans to spend 3 billion baht (appx. US$94 million) restoring and developing the property as a luxury hotel, slated to be completed by 2025. Work will begin with archaeological excavation and cataloguing in association with the Fine Arts Department.
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King Rama VI was placing the ‘marker stone?? (sila roek)’ beginning the construction of Chulalongkorn University, 1917, making it the oldest institute of higher education in Thailand.
Note: The university was originally founded during his father, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V)'s reign as a school for training royal pages and civil servants in 1899.
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Generally, the city walls are built to surround the main city, like a house and a fence. Along the wall there are forts and main gates. I don’t know somewhere else but in Siam, there were another kind of gates which measured much smaller than the main gates.
These entrances were called “Chong Kood” used for local people to get access in and out of the city.
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This is a ‘chong kood’ in the wall of the old city of Ayutthaya, only one out of 61 left.
(Note: See how thick the city wall is!)
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These two are some along the old city walls of Bangkok.
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Fully-grown men; year ??
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How a high society in Yala Province traveled; 1905
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Lives by the river in Nonthaburi; 1865
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The last female execution by beheading in Siam; 1904 (murdering her husband and burning the house down). For male execution; 1919; (detail on page 2)
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‘Chana Songkram’ Police Station at Bang Lumpoo, then (early 1900s) and now.
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Pra Mongkhon Bophit is a Buddha image sculpted in circa 1538 in the era of Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350-1767).
The ‘wiharn’ (= sanctuary) and the image were badly destroyed by fire during the fall of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in April 1767. The roof of the wiharn was damaged and the ‘mao-lee (lock of hair on the crown of the head)’ including the right arm of the image was broken. As the result of the fire, the Burmese had taken all the gold-plate that covered the image.
"…Now they lit fires in every vicinity and burned down buildings, houses, hermitages and the Holy Royal Palace Enclosure, including the palaces and royal domicile. The light of the conflagration was as bright as the middle of the day…"
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The restoration of the Buddha image, Pra Mongkhon Bophit, - in which the broken mao-lee and the right arm were together repaired - took place firstly in 1920 (the reign of King Rama VI; 1881-1925).
During the restoration works in 1955, a quantity of small scaled Buddha images were found inside the statue’s left chest and shoulder.
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In 1956, the Prime Minister of Burma on official visit in Ayutthaya gave a donation for the restoration of the wiharn which was finalized in 1957, but not up to the same beautiful craftsmanship as the original one.
The statue of Pra Mongkhon Bophit was again covered with gold leaf in 1992 by the Mongkhon Bophit Foundation in celebration of the 60th birthday of H.M. Queen Sirikit (King Rama X’s mother).
Pra Mongkhon Bophit is one of the largest bronze Buddha images in Thailand of which the measurements are in approximately of 9.5 meters across the lap and a height of 12.5 meters (without the pedestal). The Buddha image is seated in the position of Subduing Mara.
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Dancers and musicians of the Siamese theater group. The photo was probably shot in Siam prior to the departure of the ensemble to open the shows abroad.
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The Siamese theater group on the stage of the Berlin Zoological Garden, Germany, September 1900. The ‘fan dance’ was one of the highlight of the performance.
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The Siamese theater made news on German press.
Back then this kind of performance including the people was so extremely rare in Europe. The European came to watch and were impressed with these ‘exotic people’.
Sadly, in the end, the show faced total loss because of lacking a good management such as a few shows at Russian Theater were cancelled because of the very cold weather that made most of the actors who were not used to this kind of weather sick.
Finally the group had to be sent back home in Siam by money donation collected from here and there.
Double-decker bus in Bangkok, Thailand.
The project happened twice. The first time in December 1st, 1978 was a 3-week trial using Volvo buses on 3 lines.
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The second time in February 12th, 1988 was a 6-month trial using Leyland buses on 3 lines (different lines from the 1st project).
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After that the project has been disappeared.
Gas station girls in the 40s
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Film advertisement on wheels, 50s
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[Superman or 'Manoot (= human) Guyasit (= special)']
There is no accurate record telling when the first motorcar came into Siam. Known to public that it was the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) when someone saw a farang riding one but later sold it to a field marshal of the Royal Thai Army.
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This photo was taken at Makkawan Rungson Bridge in 1904 when the Equestrian Statue Plaza had not been constructed yet (1908-1915). The information said that in 1904, there were 3 cars seen running around Bangkok. This car in the photo probably was one of them.
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The record also tells about a letter written by a Siamese Prince to his brother who was also a Prince saying what could be translated into English as:
"I saw the first motorcar of Siam today. It looks like a steam roller with solid tires. It has a roof like a platform, two rows of seats and driven by petroleum oil. The head lamps look like a pair of pressure stoves. It can only run on even ground and cannot manage to run across a bridge over a klong. I guess the bridge's ramp is too steep..."
Not long after, a son of King Rama V went abroad to get medical treatment in Paris. While being there he ordered a car made for this father. It was a German Daimler (the then brand before changing to Mercedes Benz later) – noted: the information of the model and the year compared with the information acquired from Daimler Co. do not match so, I will leave it up to your imagination - which pleased his father so much for it was swifter and more comfortable than a horse carriage.
The big problem at the time was no one knew how to drive it. The owner of the first car, the field marshal, could not even manage to shift a gear.
However finally, somebody who used to stay abroad and knew about cars could be summoned. So, the first driving instructor in Siam was born.
The very first driving students were involved within the high societies which the royalty were included. That created another problem.
Some high-ranking female royalty such as King Rama V's Queens and others all wanted to learn how to drive a car too but due to one of the royal laws stating that no commoners can be close to the high-ranking female royalty and since the instructors acquired were commoners so, it was an impossible task.
Finally, the problem was solved by building a small metallic stand fixed on the running board (The information does not tell which side. Most likely to be the passenger’s side for the driver’s side would be too close) so that while hanging (on to dear life) outside the car giving instructions, the instructor could stand comfortably without getting cramps or get away before getting hurt once “shit” happened.
King Rama V was so much thrilled to this new invention on wheels that he ordered the second car. It was from the same company but the car’s brand was changed from Daimler to Mercedes Benz. This car was red and could make speed at 46 miles/hour which, in that time, was considered fast like a rocket.
Anyway, an unfortunate accident happened right after it arrived at the royal garage. While filling gas from a metal container, the oil spilt and caught fire from a kerosene pressure lantern close by.
Everyone was shocked then tried to put out but it was too late. It appeared that that side of the car was badly burnt and one door was damaged.
The King, after hearing the urgent news, was stunned for a while before ordered it repaired.
After a few weeks, the repair was done and the car was brought before the King. The King was relieved to see that the car was back to its beauty once again. He named it “Kaew (crystal) Chakrapat (emperor)”.
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(A computerized version of a B&W photo; These were King Rama V's wives (not that 'white uniform'; that's a chauffeur) with Princess Dara Rasamee wearing northern style 'pasin' seen standing on the third from the right)
The King was so pleased that a few months later he ordered the third one.
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Since motorcars were brand new invention to Siam so, there was no Thai word calling them. They called them by imitating the English word as "moh-ter-ca" and not so long, the first motor show in Siam was held.
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(Parts of motor shows)
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K. Nong, do you when, and why, a sedan car started being called a "rot geng" (รถเก๋ง)?
From what I understand, it starts with the word ‘geng’ which is a Chinese word which means a construction with roof.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shy Guava
In the old days, before motorcars appeared in Siam, we already heard the word ‘geng’ from the Chinese immigrant to Siam in the early reigns of Rattanakosin era called their styled of houses.
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We might have the obsessive compulsive disorder symptom or something so we added, to make sure, the word ‘chene (= Thai pronunciation calling Chinese) after the Chinese word ‘geng’ when we mentioned their houses = ‘geng chene’.
The Chinese have their own culture, as we know, so when they built a boat with their own style, we called it ‘roue (= boat) geng (= construction with roof)’, to distinguish that it was a Chinese boat not Thai.
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When motorcars appeared and we invented a Thai term to call them as ‘rot-yon (= engine)’. That is the formal Thai word. I guess when the Chinese saw one which was a construction on wheels with ‘roof’ so, they built an informal term as ‘rot geng’.
So, I believe that the term ‘rot geng’ was first started by the Chinese and we copied it later on.
Note: Actually, in the old days, we don’t call only sedan cars as ‘rot geng’. We call almost all types of cars with 4 wheels as ‘rot geng’. Even a convertible, we called ‘rot geng with [opened roof]’.
Moreover, in the countryside in the old days, they had their term calling ‘rot geng’ as ‘rot see (= 4) loh (= wheels)’.
Hope this helps more or less and thanks for the question.
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Prince Chaturonrasami (1856 - 1900) was a son of King Rama IV and the Supreme Queen Consort Debsirindra. He was a younger brother of King Rama V (Chulalongkorn).
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(His name (not this birth name but the name granted by the King) was the origin of the surname “Chakkrapan”)
When Prince Oscar Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg (1859 – 1953) the second son of King Oscar II of Sweden (1872-1907) and Norway (1872-1905) paid his royal visit to Siam, King Rama V assigned his brother, Prince Chaturonrasami, to welcome and take care on his behalf.
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The two Princes got along very well. The impression was so well that the Siamese Prince told the Swedish Prince that
“I have just had a new son (1) and I shall name him Oscar and should he have a son (2) he shall be called Gustavus (...I guess this name referred to Prince Oscar's elder brother who became King Gustaf V of Sweden...)”
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Prince Oscar-Nuthit (pronounced as ‘Odd-kah—Noo-tit’) Chakkrapan (1883-1935); In his later life, he was appointed president of the three members of the regency council, during King Rama VIII's minority (10 years of age at the time) and absence (living in Switzerland). The Prince died in office (committed suicide by a gun shot into his mouth caused by duty stress).
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Prince Gustavus (pronounced as 'Cut-ta-wat') Chakkrapan (1906-1983); 1st son of (1); After graduated from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, he joined the military service and retired with the military rank of ‘Lieutenant General’.
Moreover, (1) named his youngest daughter as “Princess Louisa” (pronounced as 'Lu-e-sa') Chakkrapan (1911 – 1994) after Queen Louise of the Netherlands (1859-1872), Consort of King Charles XV of Sweden.
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Note: The reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) is well-known about the modernization and social reforms in Siam. He brought so much western influence to adapt and reform the Siamese society.
As well as the royal family, the King wished to strengthen the friendship bond with the royal families in Europe.
There were hence 4 members of the royal family who were named after the members of the royal families in Europe. Three of them have already been mentioned and now the first one:
Princess Beatrice Bhadrayuvadi (pronounced as 'Be-a-trit Pattrayuwadee'; 1876 –1913), one of the daughters of the King himself, was named after Princess Beatrice (1857-1944), daughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
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Praya (noble rank granted by the king) Kanlaya na Maitri (noble name granted by the king meaning roughly as "Beautiful Friendship") is a title awarded to foreigners who did good deeds to the country, Siam. There were 2 of them and both were American from Harvard Law School.
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Jens Iverson Westengard (1871-1918) was a Danish American legal scholar and diplomat. He was a faculty member at Harvard Law School. Between 1903 and 1915, he served as a General Advisor in Foreign Affairs to the Government of Siam (during the reigns of King Rama V and VI).
Westengard played an important role in negotiating settlements in boundary disputes with British Burma and the French colony of Vietnam. He was effective in helping to develop a native government, a state administrative system and a criminal code.
Perhaps most important among his achievements in Siam was his effort to abolish extraterritoriality in Siamese courts, i.e., the system whereby native courts could not assert jurisdiction over European or American subjects, as they were entitled to have any civil or criminal suits they were involved in tried in consular courts. He also was appointed judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals of Siam in 1911.
In the reign of King Rama V, as a General Advisor, Westengard was enormously influential in effecting a wide variety of reforms and civil improvements on behalf of the government. Among these, in addition to those already mentioned, were negotiating foreign loans, drafting legislation and modifying existing laws, planning water works, restructuring the kingdom's finances and system of revenue, negotiated foreign treaties, and proposed ambassadors and ministers.
On the coronation day of King Rama VI in 1910, Westengard brought together the largest gathering of European royalty in Asia then known.
After twelve years in Siam, Westengard resigned from his service to the government in June 1915 and returned to Harvard to take up teaching law again.
However, shortly after he was informed that the Siamese government wished him to be their representative at the Paris Peace Conference after World War I, Westengard died in Cambridge, Mass., on September 17, 1918, after a brief illness.
Westengard inspired the Westengard Law Club at Harvard Law School which was one of the most prominent clubs during the early twentieth century.
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Francis Bowes Sayre Sr. (1885 – 1972) was a professor at Harvard Law School, High commissioner of the Philippines and a son-in-law of President Woodrow Wilson.
In Siam, Sayre served as Foreign Affairs Advisor to the government of King Rama VI as successor to American Foreign Affairs Advisers, Jens Iverson Westengard was among them.
In the reign of King Rama VII, he was appointed by the King as Siam's representative on the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, Netherlands. He also took care of all the treaties and was appointed as Siam representative to negotiate in the treaty of Siam and America in 1925.
Songkran Festival
Bangkok (Sae-ree Court)
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Chiengmai
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Korat
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Computer colored versions of B&W photos
Patrolmen in the reign of King Rama V (1868-1910)
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Early Rattanakosin period’s outfits
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A documentary (photos not included) titled: Sanam Luang
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The vast public park called Sanam Luang, Bangkok's wide open space of royal pageantry, religious piety and breezy days of kite flying takes its name from the Thai words meaning "grand ground", or "the ground that belongs to the King".
To the Siamese of the early Rattanakosin period, the field was "Thoong Pra Main" (literally, "the royal cremation ground"), since this open space to the north of the Royal Grand Palace was where the remains of monarchs and other high-ranking royalty were cremated.
In the reign of King Rama III, Sanam Luang was a demonstration rice field that underscored Siam's prosperity to foreign envoys. The King also ordered a royal pavilion built there for the annual royal ploughing and rainmaking ceremonies.
He had a crematorium built at nearby Wat Saket and tried to convince members of royalty to hold their cremation ceremonies there alongside those of ordinary people, but his pleas went unheeded.
When King Rama IV came to the throne, he decided that Thoong Pra Main was an inauspicious name and changed it to Sanam Luang. Certainly the grounds became more popular with the public in his time, for Sanam Luang was soon hosting entertainment, including theatrical performances, martial arts demonstrations and, yes, kite flying.
Sanam Luang originally covered only a small portion of its present southern half. The rest was occupied mostly by the Palace of the Second King (the Front Palace or 'Wung Na'), the balance by mere floodplain.
Following his first visit to Europe in 1897, King Rama V wanted to transform Sanam Luang so that it resembled the lovely parks he'd seen in front of the grand buildings of European capitals. Having abolished the position of the second king, he ordered the demolition of the walls and forts of the palace to the east so that Sanam Luang could be extended.
In 1902, when he had mahogany trees planted along Ratchadamnoen Nok and Ratchadamnoen Nai avenues, he also ordered 365 tamarind trees planted to provide shade around Sanam Luang.
The only time Sanam Luang served as a cremation place for ordinary people was in 1973, after the popular uprising for democracy on October 14. Victims of the violence were cremated in the north of the grounds, separated from area used for the royal ceremonies to the south.
Sanam Luang has been a multipurpose area ever since Bangkok was founded, far beyond its grander uses as the venue for royal and official ceremonies in every reign.
When Field Marshal Plaek (Poh) Phibunsongkhram was prime minister (1938-1944 and 1948-1957), it witnessed horseracing, beauty competitions and anti-government protests. It hosted the city's biggest weekend market until Chatuchak Park opened in 1982.
Today, year round, there are trade fairs and casual entertainment and leisurely family strolls, although it is still used for such large celebrations as New Year's Eve gatherings, Songkran in April and the Royal Ploughing Ceremony in May.
And few Thais will forget the importance of Sanam Luang in the country's proud march toward democracy. Proposals persist for an annual commemoration to be held there of the 1973, 1976 and 1992 political clashes that took place in and around the grounds. The blood spilled there on those grim days could only further sanctify such a historic place.
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I have tried to figure out where in Thailand but no.
It is the Royal Palace of Cambodia in Chey Chumneas, Phnom Penh, a complex of buildings which serves as the royal residence of the King of Cambodia.
The palace was constructed between 1866 and 1870, after King Norodom relocated the royal capital from Oudong to Phnom Penh. The Cambodian monarchs have occupied it since then with a period of absence when the country came into turmoil during and after the reign of the Khmer Rouge.
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Cast of characters performing a play called ‘lee-lit’ which is a kind of Thai stanza or verse composed of varying types of poetic feet. All of the cast were top young royalty (all boys) such as #9 = the future King Rama VI or #14 = his younger brother Prince Chakrapong Phuwanat (story on page 16)
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Top female royalty playing a kind of folk game.
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Details explained in these 2 photos as:
‘Choon and Pao Virangkura built their home at 123 Petchaburi Road, Bangkok.
Kim Ching’s daughter Choon Neo (Choon Anukulsiamkit) married a rich Chinese businessman from southern Thailand, Wee Teck Pao (Pao Virangkura). They had three children, two girls and a boy.
Their second daughter Molee, later Thanpuying (Dame) Molee, married Dr. Thanat Khoman, Foreign Minister of Thailand 1958 – 1971, a prime mover in the formation of ASEAN in August 1967 when the inaugural meeting was held in Bangkok.
Further note: Choon’s father Kim Ching, Tan was the first Siam’s consul to Singapore in the reign of King Rama IV. He was the key person that arranged Anna Leonowens to come to Siam’s court in the same reign. He also offered one of his granddaughters (or nieces?) to be King Rama V’s royal concubine.
During his time, he was considered the richest man in Singapore.
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Fishing gear in the 50s
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Some fish goes here [pla (= fish) sod (= fresh)] ...
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(Note: Back then there was no plastic bags so, fish was wrapped in banana leaf and tied up with string made of banana tree fiber [as seen close to the scale on the shelf])
Some fish goes here [pla (= fish) hang (= dry)] ...
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Hung Farang (Stores run by foreigners) appeared first in the late of King Rama III's reign and bloomed in the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).
Some of the very first and famous stores have been mentioned earlier. Here are some more:
Hung Yon-Samson (John Sampson & Son Department Store).
John Sampson & Son Ltd. was a British store on Bond Street, England. During the trip to Europe in 1897, being aware of the invasion of the western culture, King Rama V invited the owner to open his business Siam.
The store first opened at a rented shop-house on Pra Sumain Road in 1898. It sold imported high classed dressing gears; from clothing, shoes, laces and etc. and also accepted orders for custom made suites.
Later on, the King commanded the Royal Treasury to commission the construction of a new large building near Panfa Leelat Bridge of which the cost was lent to the store. Interestingly, the owner of the store, Mr. Frederick Sampson was allowed to choose the building plan and design it himself.
In 1912, Mr.Simpson signed a 15 year rental contract with the Royal Treasury but by 1926, only 10 months before the contract expiry date, the store revoked the rental contract.
Henceforward, the building had become the Public Works Department until 1955, the Fine Arts Department registered the premises as a heritage site.
Attachment 67421
Hung Badman
After 1884, for a quarter of a century and over "Harry A. Badman & Co." had held a leading position among the large retail stores in Siam.
The rapid development of their business and the continual patronage and repeated marks of royal favor received testifying to their popularity.
The business was established by Mr. Badman in 1884 sited on Bumrung Muang Road close to the Ministry of Interiors. Rapidly, it had become known as No. 1 store in Bangkok. It served as a nowadays department store that imported every luxury things the Siamese had never seen before including liquors, cigarettes, medicines, exotic plants and etc. There was even a section for made to order dresses and uniforms. Thus, the store always welcomed the visitation of the Royalty and high class people.
No record said when this store was exactly closed The building later was changed to become the Department of Advertising before being demolished for further purposes.
Attachment 67448
Attachment 67449
Hung S A B
The Belgian store had it full name as "Societe Anonyme Belge pour le commerce et L’Industrie au Siam" opened in 1907 in the area which nowadays called S.A.B. intersection of Worajak and New Roads. Originally, the store imported mainly motorcars spare parts but later it added luxury goods such as expensive watches; Rolex, Tudor and etc. Fountain pens; Parker, Sheaffer and etc.
No record of how or when the store closed its business but later on the building was taken over by a Chinese newspaper company called 'Sing Sian Yer Pao".
Attachment 67450
Hung Gaylert
A German jewellery shop owned by F. Grahlert who came to Bangkok in 1903. With his own account, Grahlert started business and since then had been King Rama V's royal jeweler.
His shop, being in close proximity to the royal palaces, was the first of its kind opened in the Bangkok. As him and his crews were jewelers to the Court by special appointment, and were constantly being entrusted with the execution of important commissions, he enjoyed the patronage of the King, Queens and his Crown Prince along with royalty and high society people.
The company employed up to fifty native craftsmen who were highly skilled in the art of fashioning gold and silver into articles of most artistic and delicate design. Their work came out very justly and naturally and was held in the highest favor.
The firm's premises would well repay an inspection. Their stock was a large and varied one and was effectively and tastefully displayed. Whether the articles were of Oriental or European design, their quality could be guaranteed.
Attachment 67451
Attachment 67452
Mr. F. Grahlert was already famous before coming to Siam. This is a card from the Grand Duke Adolphe. The card was used as a message card from Luxembourg-Ville, July 7, 1906, to F. Grahlert & Company in Bangkok, Siam (note: Asian!), received August 8,1906.
Attachment 67453